The Lure
by Lady Domino
Summary: The Sharing's got a fresh face, and the evidence suggests that she is none other than Visser Three! Meanwhile Jake and the others use chemical warfare to try and thwart V3's 'Panic Room'. Chapter 5 up :D
1. Chapter 1

Hello! This is set around about between Animorphs 19 and 20, so no blue box etc etc The chapters are quite short, but then they are in the real books as well, and I tried to use a similar style. I chose to use Jake as a narrator, because any of them would be out of sync and I like his style most. Please let me know how you find it! Reviews make me purr :)

Disclaimer: Animorphs are the property of K. A. Applegate

* * *

**Chapter 1**

My name is Jake.

And one of my nightmares had just come true.

Well, not the one with the scissors and the walking carrot man.

The one where Visser Three smiles and says, "You all know what I want. I want to take over the world." And thousands of free humans cheer.

Back up, Jake.

What's a Visser Three? Visser Three is an evil Yeerk who wants to enslave humanity.

Cool. What's a Yeerk?

Yeerks are parasites. They look like large slugs and they slither in through your ear and claim your body. You can't do anything except watch as your Yeerk manoeuvres your family into the same fate. You become a 'controller', which is very ironic because you have no control whatsoever.

My brother Tom is a controller.

Yeerks don't only control humans. They also control Hork Bajir (think T-rex and add a dozen blades on the joints and forehead) and Taxxons (giant, giant centipede creatures with massive mouths ringed with very sharp teeth). The Hork Bajir used to be a peaceful bark eating race, the Taxxons the exact opposite. They are carnivorous, and constantly driven by a maddening hunger. But their fates are the same. The same as the Yeerks want for us.

Visser Three does not have any of these hosts. He is the only Yeerk to have an Andalite host. Andalites. The sometime good guys. Paint a centaur blue, take away its mouth, and add two stalk eyes and a wickedly sharp scorpion tail. That's an Andalite. Except even though they've already got quite enough natural weapons, Andalites invented the technology to allow them to morph. Exchange their body for another creatures. Visser Three can do that too.

Just as well he could, because humans are resilient creatures, but even a thousand happy, excitable teenagers would have reacted adversely to him addressing them in his stolen Andalite form. Instead the Visser looked remarkably unlike a threat. He was wearing a white summery dress, which skimmed his knees. He had freckles, bare arms and wavy brown hair.

Visser Three currently looked like a twenty something girl.

(Is it twisted that I'm finding the Visser hot?) Marco asked me in thought speak. Marco. He's my best friend. And he was currently flying as a seagull above our heads.

We can morph too, us animorphs. Me, Marco, Cassie, Rachel, Tobias, and our resident Andalite homey Aximili, or Ax. A gift from Ax's doomed brother. It enables us to fight the Yeerk invasion as well as we can.

I couldn't answer Marco because I wasn't in morph. You have to be to use thought speak. Instead I gave an exaggerated eye roll.

(I caught that!) he said.

(You should try asking him on a date,) Rachel, my cousin and currently another seagull, suggested. (You never know Marco, you might finally get lucky.)

(Ha ha, and further ha,) he replied.

We were attending a big Sharing concert in an open air stadium. They'd manage to rope in some halfway decent singers and the stands were packed. The others were here as seagulls, except for Tobias who was his usual red tailed hawk self. I was there as human because Tom had made me promise to come in return for lying to my dad about where I'd been the previous night. Tom, or Tom's Yeerk, thought I'd been seeing Cassie. _Wrong, slug. I was fighting for my life against your compatriots._

I hadn't minded coming because the Sharing was getting a bit worrying. It had received a very public change of leadership recently. The new face was, we figured, some high up Yeerk. A young woman named Jessica Lisle. A couple of days of surveillance, and we knew who she really was. Jessica Lisle was a morph of Visser Three's. That pretty, tanned face, the cute laugh and her sheer excitement on all the television interviews for the future of the Sharing was fake, all fake. A snare to draw humans in.

Jessica/ Visser Three had been introducing the acts that would be coming. Standing on the stage in the brilliant sunshine she/ he was undeniably attractive. No wonder Sharing membership was rising. And then she/ he took a few minutes to talk about her/his vision for the Sharing.

You know, the usual babble about inclusivity and greatness.

She/he even came out with the line, "The Sharing is about respect for humanity. It's about respect for every single person wherever they are from."

Tobias snorted. (Yeah, they really respect you as they shove your face into the pool.)

Jessica smiled the brilliant smile that was currently plastered on the covers of all the teen magazines Rachel reads.

"Under my leadership, I want the Sharing to grow. I want us to reach out and INVOLVE the whole world. We're about inclusivity, so let's include all of America! Let's go further!" She/ he raised her/his hand dramatically and shouted. "Does the Sharing mean something to you?" A resounding roar from the stadium, from controllers and excited free humans alike. "Then let's make it mean something to everybody! I charge you, as your duty, as American citizens, as human beings, to help the Sharing grow and reach out to those that need it!"

(The Sharing's moving up a notch,) Cassie said worriedly. I nodded to the voices in my head. Tom looked at me like I was a freak.

(I think the guy needs help getting some ambition going. I mean, only including all America?) Marco commented sarcastically.

(Actually Visser Three has demonstrated on numerous occasions that he is ambitious.) That would be Ax.

(I was kind of joking, Ax-man) Marco said.

(Perhaps I was too,) he suggested drily.

I listened to their voices, but my mind was also running over possibilities. The Sharing was getting bigger, more aggressive. Did that mean the entire invasion had also stepped up a notch?

Visser Three flashed the pearly whites. "You all know what I want. I want to take over the world."


	2. Chapter 2

Heya. Here's chap 2. Love and cuddles to those who have already reviewed. Please be kind and leave me one :)

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 2**

"Say what you want about you-know-whats, they know how to throw a concert," Marco said, as we sat down to lunch in the canteen the next day. "I mean, do you think Britney knew that she was performing for aliens? Hey," he laughed. "Maybe Britney's a you-know-what too." Rachel shot him an evil look.

"Say that a little louder, I think not quite everyone in this room heard you." He shrugged.

"Relax, you-know-whats could be anything. They could be oreos. They could be hot babes who want me... the possibilities are endless." Rachel didn't reply, but attacked her cannelloni like it had personally offended her. It was just us three sitting there – we try to avoid clumping together too much in case a controller gets too curious. Cassie, the girl I kind of like, was sitting at another table, on the other side of the room. Sitting next to her was... my heart flipped.

"What's the betting Erek's next to Cassie just for her quality of conversation?" I asked. Marco glanced over.

"Slim to none," he replied. "Oh man, mission time." Rachel raised her head and looked over.

"She doesn't look very happy. Perhaps we should go over."

"No, wait for us to meet Cassie later." I was always very conscious of security. Marco smiled.

"Ok, Mr Paranoia."

Later Cassie sat two rows from me in history. As the teacher droned on about slaves on plantations she passed me a scribbled note via several of her friends.

_Barn after school._ I looked up, and the blonde girl who had passed it to me giggled as she caught my eye. They thought Cassie and I were hooking up. I smiled and blew Cassie a kiss, for the sake of playing along. She blushed.

I picked up Marco, and Cassie grabbed Rachel at the end of school. As we walked out the gates Rachel fumbled and dropped her bag. She reached to pick it up and the girl walking behind her nearly tripped over her.

"Watch it!" Rachel snarled. The girl, who I recognised as Amy from maths shrugged.

"Whatever. Next time be more careful." Rachel stood up crossly, adjusting her bag. To anyone else it looked like she had just been clumsy. I knew that in reality it had been a signal to Tobias, who usually hung around above the school as we came out. He'd know to meet us at the barn.

A red-tailed hawk covers ground a lot faster than a school bus with lots of stops. Tobias had time to find Ax, our resident Andalite and still beat us to the barn. When we walked in Ax was trying to eat hay with his human morph.

Andalites are like one of the smartest races in the universe, right up to the point where they morph humans. See, Andalites don't have mouths in their natural shapes; they eat through their hooves. This leads Ax to being somewhat experimental when he is human. Tobias turned and acknowledged us as we entered.

(I told him it wasn't worth it, but he wanted to try,) he remarked. Ax spat the hay out with a thoughtful expression.

"I fear you are right, Tobias. Why do humans dry the grass? It is inedible."

"It's for the horses," Cassie explained, dumping her bag. She glanced around. "Is Erek already here?"

It seems weird that she had to ask whether he was, so I'll explain. Erek looks like a normal human teenager, but is in actual fact an ancient android, called a Chee. The Chee were created by a very playful, very nice race called the Pemalites. Unfortunately the Pemalites were massacred, and the Chee fled to Earth, fusing what remained of the Pemalites with wolves to create dogs. Think how nice your dog is. That's what the Pemalites were like. Anyway, aside from being ancient and nearly indestructible, Erek can also throw up a convincing hologram. As we watched, what seemed to be a large bale of hay shimmered, to be replaced with Erek's human hologram. In reality he looked a bit like a metal Snoopy, but just as Ax was in human morph to avoid freaking Cassie's parents out if they came in, Erek kept his human hologram up. He stepped forward.

"Hi guys." Marco eyed him.

"Erek, why do you do that?" he asked.

Erek frowned. "Do what?"

"Why say 'hi guys' like you're just here to hang when we all know you've come to send us off on a life or death mission including much screaming and pain for the sake of the future of Earth?" Erek shrugged.

"What would you prefer?"

"Perhaps something just a bit less chipper," Marco replied. He sat on a straw bale. Ax eyed it with interest.

"Is that inedible too, like hay?" he asked curiously. Cassie sighed.

"Ax, just stay away from anything in this barn when you're in human morph."

I turned to Erek. "So, what did you want to see us about?" Erek assumed a more serious expression.

"The Sharing's holding an event over the coming weekend at the Gardens. They're renting the entire ride section for members and their guests. And they're installing their own ride, the Panic Room."

"With a name like that it has to be evil," Rachel said. Erek nodded.

"The Panic Room is a room on a moving stand. Up to five people go up some steps into the room, the door closes and the stand lifts up and shakes you. The entire room twists and turns. It's advertised that the person who can remain on their feet the longest gets a prize."

"Ooooooh, we mustn't allow that to happen," Marco said sotto voice. Erek ignored him.

"In actual fact, the room inside is designed to stay still whilst the outside is shaken. Inside it are ten controllers and a Yeerk pool." I felt sick.

"You go in for a thrill and come out with a slug in your brain."

"And then encourage all your friends to have a go," Cassie said softly. "But how many people will be there?"

"Between five hundred and a thousand," Erek said. I think all of us gasped.

"How come so many?" I asked.

(It's been well advertised around town,) Tobais said. (On billboards. Besides, discounted rides? Free entry if you bring a friend? The new 'Panic Room'? What kid wouldn't go?)

"And Jessica Lisle promoted it on the news programme CNN this morning," Ax added. He paused and then spoke again. "NNNN. CNNNN. It is hard to stop saying 'N' isn't it?"

"Most problematic," I muttered. Marco sat up.

"How exactly is that CNN news?" he demanded.

"It doesn't matter how she got on there," I said. "What matters is that having her promote it will mean a lot of people will go in the hope of seeing her there. Visser Three's new persona is building quite a following."

(Ax, tell him what else they said on CNN,) Tobias said grimly.

"They are talking about giving her her own television, shun, vision, show," he said. "She will be 'the next Oprah'. What does that mean?" Rachel goggled at him.

"All that channel surfing and you haven't found Oprah?" she demanded. Ax shook his head, a human habit.

"No. Tobias told me it was like finding God." I laughed.

(Better,) Tobais said. Rachel stood up.

"So step one, we smash the Panic Room, and step two we smash Jessica Lisle. There, plan sorted." Marco turned to me.

"For once, what Rachel says sounds about right. What do you say fearless leader?" I looked around.

"Cassie? Tobias? Ax? Any other opinions?"

"Definitely take out the Panic Room," Cassie said. "But Jessica Lisle is more difficult. An outright attack on her would increase sympathy for her cause. We need a smear campaign."

(Or to rile the Visser so seriously he loses it in public,) Tobias added. I nodded.

"Agreed. Today is Monday, so we've got a week to pulverise the Panic Room, and then start thinking about how to deal with the Visser's new morph."

"Class dismissed," Marco quipped, and we went home.


	3. Chapter 3

Meep. There's kind of an explosion of writing going on at the moment, but it's going to have to stop because I really, really need to revise. Please don't forget to review - they lift me out of my revision gloom :)

* * *

Chapter 3

The Gardens.

Half safari park, half rides.

Really quite cool. Or at least it used to be before I could turn into loads of animals. I mean, I can fly over 100kmph as a peregrine falcon. Roller coasters are a bit less thrilling after you've done that a couple of times. But I wasn't a falcon right now. I was an owl. The ultimate night animal. My eyes could see EVERYTHING! They almost filled my head and the vision was incredible. Nothing escaped me.

On silent feathers we glided through the darkness.

(Storm's predicted for later,) Tobias said grumpily. I could feel what was irritating him: the heavy, warm air dragged at our wings. We hadn't wanted to come out tonight, but we couldn't delay any further. Tuesday night my parents had decided we hadn't had a family night in for too long. Tom and I were forced to play monopoly into the early hours, and I was too shattered for us to go then. The next night Rachel was babysitting her sisters. It was now Thursday, and we needed time to have a second go at destroying the Panic Room before it opened on Saturday in case we were unsuccessful.

As we drifted over the animal exhibits in the Gardens I ran through the plan.

(OK, here's what we're going to do. Rachel and I land and go elephant and rhino. We're the muscle. Ax stays as an Andalite and Cassie goes wolf. They're there to deal with any controllers who get in our way. Marco and Tobias, stay owl and provide the eyes in the sky. Everyone clear?)

(We were the last five times, so I'm sure not much has changed,) Rachel said grumpily. She's not a great one for plans. But this one appealed to her. It had stomping.

(My prince, we are now reaching the area of the Gardens which holds the mechanised rides,) Ax reported.

(Don't call me prince.) Automatic.

(Yes, Prince Jake.) We'd had this conversation many times before. Andalite commanders are called 'princes'. I guess it was kind of flattering that Ax saw me as a coroneted commander.

(Jake, I think I've found it,) Tobais reported.

(How are you sure?)

(It's the only ride with thirty guards standing round it,) Marco said. (Kind of a give away.) I could see it now. A large boxy shape, draped in tarpaulin. Construction on it had finished, but it was being kept hidden from the people going to the Gardens during the week so that more would be drawn to it at the weekend. And I could see the shadowy figures standing round it. Heck, with the owl eyes I could see the outlines of their guns in their jackets.

(Controllers,) Cassie said tersely. I did some quick thinking.

(Right, change of plan. Marco, you're also on duty to take care of the guards. Tobias, the skies are all yours.)

(That's how I like it,) he laughed.

(Give the order, fearless leader,) Marco said. Always, before the moment of committal to a plan, a tremor runs through me. Will this time be the one my friends don't all walk away from? Never any way of knowing.

(We go.) A mad cackle came from Rachel.

(Let's do it!) We angled our wings and descended, aiming to land behind the Dragoncoaster. As we drifted down I heard Marco say, (You know, Rachel, it wouldn't kill you to give that a rest.)

We landed on the cold ground and demorphed. Five owls turned into four human kids and an Andalite, and I suddenly felt very out of place. An owl in the Gardens at night was allowed. A bunch of teenagers felt wrong, like we could be caught at any second. Cassie had already started morphing, thick wolf fur flowing over her limbs, and I focussed my mind.

Rhino.

Big, not very intelligent and destructive. Just what I needed. To my left Rachel was going elephant, even bigger than me. Ax was staying as he was. There is not much on Earth more dangerous than his powerful tail. On my right Marco was bulking up too, but he still remained vaguely humanoid. As I fell forward onto my front feet and felt my butt stretch out behind me like some oversize truck I bid goodbye to vanity. Rhinos are not going to win any beauty pageants.

We were all set. Cassie, Marco and Ax slunk off to clear the way for us. Rachel fretted at being left behind.

(Can't we just charge?) she asked.

(Give it a minute,) I said. Then we heard shouts.

"Andalite!"

(Yes, Andalite,) Ax cried gleefully. I heard gunshots, shockingly loud in the darkness. Human screams of pain. A wolf snarling.

(Right, we're going,) Rachel said. I agreed.

(CHARGE!)

Not much stops a rhino or an elephant when they want to move. If the controllers had got off some really good shots at my head I'd I've had problems, but they were kind of busy focussing on the Andalite dancing between them, a lethal blue blur. I could barely see him with my poor vision, or make out the gorilla pounding controllers flat, and the wolf leaping gracefully between them, biting gun hands, but I could hear the effects of their work. I lumbered after Rachel towards the Panic Room.

HRRROOARRR! She trumpeted. The ground was shaking from the impact of our feet. We galloped forwards, straight towards the stand supporting the Panic Room. It didn't look to my weak eyes like it would survive the double whammy of a rhino and an elephant crashing into it.

And then...

BONNNG!

It was like running into a brick wall! I staggered, dazed.

(What was that?) Rachel demanded.

(Force field!) Ax cried. (Surrounding the Panic Room.) I gave the force field a tentative poke with my horn and it buzzed, making my nose ache.

(Someone with eyes tell me how to turn this thing off,) I said tetchily.

(Jake, you'd better hurry. I've got more controllers arriving by jeep,) Tobias warned.

Insane! Some of the original thirty guards still had their guns, were still firing. I felt pain in my back legs. More guards coming! I tried to back up and turn around. Ran into a hotdog stand.

(They're shooting at me!) Rachel said crossly. She trumpeted again and snatched up a guy with her trunk. She flicked it, sending him flying thirty feet. He wouldn't be shooting anyone for a while. Ax galloped around the Panic Room and then stopped in front of me.

(Prince Jake, I can not see the force field emitter. Perhaps it is coming from above?)

(I'll try flying above it and see if the field's up here,) Tobias said. A second later he said, (Ow! Yes, it's up here.) Ax sounded worried. Ax is nearly never worried. If he sounds worried it is time to get worried.

(My Prince, it seems likely that the field is being emitted from above by a ship.)

(Could a bug fighter do that?) Cassie demanded.

(No,) Ax said tightly. (But the blade ship could.) Stunned silence.

(You mean Visser Three's looking down on us right now?) Marco asked. That was not a settling thought.

(Why not fry us?) Rachel wondered.

(Controllers on you in five minutes,) Tobias warned.

(He can't risk destroying the rides,) Cassie said, as always hitting the nail on the head. Its part of the reason I love her so.

(He's spent too long setting this up,) I agreed. (That's why we're just getting controllers. If he uses the ship's dracon beams to shoot us then no rides, no crowds, no Panic Room infestations.) I turned to Ax. (Ax, can you get us past this shield?)

(Not without access to its main generator, my prince,) Ax said.

(Jake, a lot of controllers are getting very close,) Tobias said.

No choice. Nothing was to be achieved here.

(Haul butt,) I said.

(What?) Rachel cried angrily. (We can take them!)

(For what reason?) Cassie asked. (We can't get at the Panic Room.)

(You heard me, haul butt,) I said grumpily. I turned and started running away. After a second's hesitation I heard Rachel lumber after me, and then I felt a pressure on my back.

(Mind if I cadge a lift?) Marco asked, settling himself on my shoulders. (Giddy up Rhino!) Beside me I saw Cassie streaking across the ground.

Tobias directed us to behind the Ghost House ride. We demorphed. We morphed owls. We flew back into the night.

It had been a total failure.


	4. Chapter 4

Heya! Here's ch 4! And if you're thinking it's kind of short, well they are in the books so that's the reason. Please don't forget to review - it makes for a happy author :)

* * *

Chapter 4

Jessica Lisle beamed on the television screen when I walked into my kitchen for breakfast. She was wearing a tight pair of skinny jeans and a cute little green top with a butterfly on it. It was hard to believe 'she' was actually masterminding the invasion of our planet. I wondered if the interviewer talking to her felt the evil that lay under her tanned, happy surface. Tom waved at me as I poured cereal.

"Hey kid brother. Have you heard of this lady?" I shrugged, as if uninterested.

"Wasn't she at the concert you dragged me to?" Tom nodded and turned to my dad who was munching toast.

"See? Even a guy who only thinks about video games knows who she is!" My dad munched nonchalantly.

"All right, who is this wonder woman?" he asked. Tom smiled, and I knew what was coming. Loyal yeerk promoting his Visser. Over breakfast. I shovelled raisin wheat as fast as I could.

"Jessica Lisle is amazing," Tom breathed, a look of reverence on his face. "She's done so much for the Sharing. She's made it really accessible for adults now. You should come at some time, dad." I froze. Oh god! Not my father! I adopted a shocked tone.

"Are you serious, Tom? Won't you get totally mocked for bringing your dad?" Tom put on a sincere face.

"At the Sharing we are more mature than that," he said. I sniggered.

"Your call dad. Personally I think you'd be the oldest guy there by about twenty years..."

"Cheeky!" my dad shouted playfully. But he shook his head when Tom asked him to come that evening with him. A look of rage flashed across my brother's face, but he forced a smile again in an instant and turned to me.

"What about you, Jake? Coming to the Gardens this weekend? There's a great new ride called the Panic Room." I pulled a face.

"Sounds lame."

Tom shrugged. "Free entry and discounted rides can't be that lame, Jake. Besides," (and now he looked sickeningly earnest), "it would be nice if we could, you know, hang." Playing this charade with him, pretending I didn't know that it was the slug wrapped around my brother's brain that was talking to me, was exhausting, but I could never slip up, never betray myself. I grinned, like the annoying younger brother I was pretending to be.

"Yeah right, Tom. You just want the free entry when you bring a friend!" He laughed, and brought his hand down very fast like an aeroplane.

"Aaaaand I crash and burn! Was I that obvious?"

"No fooling me," I said. "I'm onto you, Tom." _I'm onto you, Yeerk._

All through school I pondered what to do about the Panic Room. We had tried bludgeoning it and that had failed miserably. As long as there was a force field around it we couldn't touch it. Of course, when the Gardens were open tomorrow they'd have to remove the force field to let people into it. I toyed with the idea of a rhino and an elephant stomping it in front of crowds of teenagers. No, too dangerous. Someone might get hurt.

Perhaps we could somehow make it seem broken?

Was there a way to cancel the event tomorrow?

Could we manouvre it so that we were first in line and took out the controllers before they could infest other people? That seemed unlikely. No doubt as soon as you entered the Panic Room you'd be grabbed and infested before you had a chance to react. There would be no time for us to morph.

I imagined a line of happy kids, queing up to be turned into controllers. Imagined newly infested controllers coming out, and whilst their hosts screamed telling all their hosts' friends that they should have a go too.

One of my friends, Harry, passed me a note. When I opened it I snorted. Someone had superimposed Jessica Lisle's head on the body of an underwear model. I wondered what Visser Three would have to say to that. I imagined him as Jessica throwing one of his tantrums and stomping up and down in designer high heels shouting "Scum!" and "Fools!" At lunch I showed Marco and he laughed out loud.

"Makes you appreciate him in a totally new way, doesn't it?" he sniggered.

"Well, that's one less way we can try to get rid of her," I pointed out. Marco nodded.

"It would never have worked anyway. Here, the Visser looks hot. Making Jessica look hot is only going to make him more popular. We need to make the world see exactly what sort of psycho he is." He laughed. "We could always just show the Visser this picture. I bet he'd flip."

"Yeah, I can imagine," I said.

Marco's face hardened and he grew more serious. "Seriously though, everywhere you go, Jake, it's all Jessica, Jessica, Jessica. On billboards, on tv, on notes in class." A dreamy look floated over his face. "In the girls' locker room. They probably talk about her whilst rubbing massage oil onto each other's scantily clad bodies..." I sighed.

"In your dreams, my friend. In your dreams."

The rest of the day crawled by. When we got out of school Cassie and Rachel walked up to me. Rachel's my cousin, so I can't really judge, but I guess she is really rather hot. She's got blonde flippy hair and white teeth and always looks dressed to kill. Cassie's kind of short, and today was one of the days she had something brown on her jeans. I couldn't have cared less. To me she's just perfect. As I approached she flashed me a smile which made my heart skip a beat.

"Guess what this genius has done?" Rachel said. I turned to Cassie.

"Tell me you have solved our dilemma."

She smiled again and said, "Oh yes." And when she told me I was smiling too.

It was simple.

It was beautiful.

"Have I ever mentioned how much I love you?" I asked.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 4 ended on a bit of a cliffhanger, so I thought it'd be cruel to leave you dangling too long. Hope you like this chap - I certainly do! Please let me know what you think :)

* * *

Chapter 5

Saturday. The day the Sharing takes over the Gardens and opens their Panic Room ride. Typically it was a brilliantly sunny day, drawing even greater crowds than expected. The rides section of the Gardens was packed with people, or so Tobias assured me from up in the sky.

I couldn't see anything. See, I was in morph, snuggled up inside Ax's coat. Tobias reported that he was getting weird stares wearing a heavy overcoat in the sunshine, but it was the only way to get me in.

I was about the size of an average house cut. I was furry, with black and white stripes and a luxurious thick tail. I would have been cute, except for one important thing. I was a skunk. And even though a skunk is small and cuddly it can never, ever be called cute, because skunks have one huge weapon.

Have you ever been sprayed by a skunk? The stench is unimaginable, and also unbearable. And that's what we were relying on. See, if we couldn't smash the Panic Room then we could always stink it out.

(Once again the mighty animorphs are reduced to using chemical warfare,) Marco laughed. He was flying overhead with Tobias.

(At least this time it's not oatmeal,) Cassie replied. She was also a skunk, riding in Rachel's huge handbag. Ax, in human morph, of course, and Rachel had come to the Gardens as 'a couple', providing the 'bring a friend' requirement for free entry. Rachel was holding Ax's hand very firmly to prevent him from getting distracted. There was a lot of food around, and Ax does not do well with food.

"Where are those girls getting that candy floss from?" he asked. "Can we find some?"

"Later," Rachel said. My skunk cheek was resting just above Ax's heart, and I felt it quicken.

(Oh man, what has he spotted?)

(Ooooh, hot dog stall!) Tobias called down.

(Hey Ax-man, get me a jumbo,) Marco shouted.

(I would be happy to oblige,) Ax replied. (However I cannot actually reach the stand whilst Rachel is maintaining such a tight grip on my arm.)

"Too right," Rachel muttered.

(What's happening?) Cassie asked. (Have they opened the Panic Room yet?)

(No, they're still gathering a crowd,) Marco reported. (There's a kind of tent thing beside it and security guys standing outside it. A guy with a megaphone is telling people to come over. You guys could sort of casually drift over and put Cassie and Jake down.)

I felt Ax quicken his pace.

(Don't run,) I hissed. (Act cool.)

(What does my body temperature have to do with my behaviour?) Ax asked, puzzled. Cassie laughed.

(Don't worry Ax. Just copy Rachel and chill.)

Suddenly I felt tremors run through Ax. He wobbled and my little skunk brain went wild. _Spray! Spray!_ it shouted.

(Ax! What was that?)

(I was just shoved aside by a human male,) Ax reported. He sounded tetchy. (He is larger than my morph so I did not retaliate.)

(Dude, I so nearly sprayed you.)

(I am glad you did not,) Ax said with dignity. (The male seems to want to speak to Rachel.)

(Like he has a chance,) Tobias snorted from above.

(Aww, someone moving in on your girl?) Marco teased. (You going to fly down and kick his butt or what?) And then I heard voices.

"Hey doll, haven't I see you around?" a male voice rumbled.

(Doll??) Tobias cried, incensed. Over the sounds of teenagers screaming on the rides I picked up Rachel's reply.

"This is my fist," she said calmly. "If you don't get out my way in three seconds you're going to see _it _real close."

(Whoah, Ax step in and rescue!) Marco cried.

(What's happening?) Cassie asked. (The bag's moving.)

(That jerk just grabbed her arm!) Tobias shouted. I felt Ax move. What could he do in human morph against a bigger guy? Heard Rachel shout something angrily, and then...

"Whoah, that's a fricking skunk!" The guy sounded like he was panicking. It's amazing how much terror we skunks can inspire for something so cute.

(Well noticed, mister,) Cassie said to him. I heard him shout something. Marco laughed.

(Yeah, you run home to mother loser.) It was time to assume control.

(Rachel, walk away now!) I snapped.

(He's still holding her arm,) Tobias said. Then I heard an "oooof" sound and male noises of distress. (Not anymore,)Tobias said with a hint of smugness. (Nice aim, Rachel.)

(Yeah, remind me never to try and sweet talk her,) Marco commented.

"As if you would have ever dared," Rachel muttered.

(My Prince, you have only forty five of your Earth minutes left in morph,) Ax said, sobering us up instantly. Where had the time gone?

(Right, get us to that ride,) I said grimly. (Cassie, it's time for our big entrance.)

We moved on again. I could fell Ax's shirt sticking to his chest, and felt sorry for him. It can't have been comfortable wearing a heavy coat and cuddling a warm furry animal in the heat. Still he didn't complain, as always. It made me feel bad, like the fact that he never complained led me to take advantage of him more than I did the others.

(My prince we are approaching the crowd gathered around the Panic Room,) Ax said.

(Try and mingle in the crowd and put us down with no one seeing,) I said.

(And point us in the right direction,) Cassie added. (These eyes are terrible.)

I felt Ax stop, and then he started unbuttoning the coat. I felt him being jostled. Tensed, ready to be lifted out and put down.

(Oh boy,) Marco said.

(What?) Cassie demanded. (What 'oh boy'?)

(Oh boy Jessica Lisle just walked out the tent by the ride,) Marco replied.

(She must be about to open it,) Tobias said. (Yes, she's getting on a little platform.)

"That's the new Prada dress!" Rachel whispered. "No way Visser Three gets to wear Prada!"

My mind raced. Visser Three was here. We hadn't anticipated that. And the Visser would know instantly that a skunk in the middle of the Gardens near his precious ride would not be a coincidence. He would know what we were.

But what could he do? If he ordered his thugs to attack us then there would be outcry! Jessica Lisle could not afford to be seen beating up cute skunks.

(We go in as before,) I said. (And if the Visser loses his cool so much the better.)

Ax's hand reached inside his coat, and I felt him bend down.

(We are near the front of the crowd, my prince,) he murmured. (Just walk forwards in the direction I place you.) Gently he scooped me up in his arms and lowered me onto the ground. My paws felt hot tarmac. I was dimly aware of the shadowy figure of Ax straightening up above me. The skunk eyes really were appalling, but in nature they don't need to be able to see. With their striking black and white colouring all that matters is that everything else sees them. Nothing in nature will mess with a skunk.

(I'm on the floor,) Cassie said.

(Walk forwards,) Marco advised. So we did.

Skunks do not march, or charge. We toddled gently on our small paws. We did not need to charge. It didn't take long for us to be noticed.

"AAARRGGGHH!!" Suddenly screams battered my ears. The world was full of feet! I was going to get stomped! They thundered around me as people fought to run away.

(Whoah, the skunk brain wants to spray!) Cassie shouted.

(Hold it until we get to the ride!) I replied. Easier said than done. I clamped down on the skunk brain, and forced a leisurely amble forwards.

(It's like Moses parting the sea,) Marco commented from above. (Only Moses is a tiny skunk dude.)

(Jessica's noticed you,) Tobias reported.

(How does the Visser look?) Cassie asked.

(Not happy in the least,) Marco replied. Cassie laughed.

(Do you think he remembers his last encounter with a skunk?) Visser Three had particular reason to hate our current morphs, as he knew how very effective they were. The last time he had faced them he's received a direct hit from Cassie, and had been unable to return to his Blade Ship for days.

(The Visser is ordering his subordinates to find boxes to catch you with,) Ax said. (You don't have much time.)

Vaguely I could hear a female voice shouting above the screams.

"Careful! Catch the poor things before they get trampled!" _You mean before we ruin your plans to infest hundred of kids, Yeerk,_ I thought grimly.

A movement through the air! I sensed the kick coming before it hit me, but was unable to move out the way. WOOOMPH! I rolled from it, my ribs aching.

(Ow!)

(That was a controller,) Marco said grimly. (Jessica Lisle's screaming at him for endangering 'the poor little creature'!)

(She's got to put on an act,) Cassie said. (Am I there yet?)

(Yup, go for it!) Tobias shouted.

(Bombs away!) Cassie laughed. I heard even more screams of horror, and then the smell hit me. To my skunk nose it wasn't too bad. But it wasn't enough. Painfully I rolled to my feet and tottered in what I hoped was the right direction.

(Jake, turn left,) Marco instructed. I veered left, and then...

(AARRGGHH!) Hands reached down to pick me up! I was lifted off the ground!

(I'm out of ammo!) Cassie cried. (Jake, what's happening?)

(The Visser's got Jake!) Tobias screamed. A hand tightened around my throat.

"Andalite scum!" 'Jessica' hissed.

(Jake?) Marco said.

(Yeah.) I knew what to do.

Spray!

"AAARRRGGGHHH!" Visser Three let out a howl. I'd definitely hit his/ her stomach. The Prada dress was no doubt completely ruined.

That felt good.

The Visser threw out his hands, throwing me away from him. I tumbled away from him and hit the ground.

(Owwwww.)

I picked myself up again and sprayed wildly. Didn't matter the direction, just so long as we stinked out h entire area. Then I collapsed again, my sides screaming. I lay there for a minute, and then a pair of far gentler hands picked me up.

(My prince we are running from security gurads,) Ax said calmly. I could feel the impact of his feet thudding the floor travelling through his arms.

(Did I get the Visser?) I asked woozily.

(You got him good,) Marco said proudly.

(He looks absolutely apoplectic!) Tobias agreed. (And that's not a very good image for Jessica Lisle...)

(And the ride is being cordoned off,) Marco said.

(No one's going to go near it after that,) Cassie added. (And Rachel, you're bumping me lots. Stop swinging the bag!)

(We _are_ running,) Ax pointed out. (However we seem to have lost most of the security guards.)

(Excellent,) I said, and passed out in his arms.


End file.
